Toy Playing Habits of Children Around the World

Toy Stories is a very interesting behavioural and anthropological photo essay by Gabriele Galimberti. In it he photographs children from all around the world with their prized possessions – their toys.

Galimberti found that children in richer countries were more possessive with their toys and that it took time before they allowed him to play with them (which is what he would do pre-shoot before arranging the toys), whereas in poorer countries he found it much easier to quickly interact, even if there were just two or three toys between them.
There were similarites too, especially in the functional and protective powers the toys represented for their proud owners. Across borders, the toys were reflective of the world each child was born into—economic status and daily life affecting the types of toys children found interest in.